Spectrometers are used for many purposes. For example, spectrometers are used in the detection of defects in industrial processes, satellite imaging, and laboratory research. However, these instruments have typically been too large and too costly for the consumer market.
Spectrometers detect radiation from a sample and process the resulting signal to obtain and present information about the sample that includes spectral, physical and chemical information about the sample. These instruments generally include some type of spectrally selective element to separate wavelengths of radiation received from the sample, and a first-stage optic, such as a lens, to focus or concentrate the radiation onto an imaging array.
The prior spectrometers can be less than ideal in at least some respects. Prior spectrometers having high resolution can be larger than ideal for use in many portable applications. Although prior spectrometers with decreased size have been proposed, the prior spectrometers having decreased size and optical path length can have less than ideal resolution, sensitivity and less accuracy than would be ideal. Also, the cost of prior spectrometers can be greater than would be ideal. The prior spectrometers can be somewhat bulky, difficult to transport and the optics can require more alignment than would be ideal in at least some instances. Because of their size and cost, prior spectrometers can be difficult to integrate into other consumer appliances or devices in which a spectrometer may be useful.
Further, data integration of prior spectrometers with measured objects can be less than ideal in at least some instances. For example, although prior spectrometers can provide a spectrum of a measured object, the spectrum may be of little significance to at least some users. It would be helpful if a spectrum of a measured object could be associated with attributes of the measured object that are useful to a user. For example, although prior spectrometers may be able to measure sugar, it would be helpful if a spectrometer could be used to determine the sweetness of an object such as an apple. Many other examples exist where spectral data alone does not adequately convey relevant attributes of an object, and it would be helpful to provide attributes of an object to a user in response to measured spectral data.
Prior spectrometer apparatus can be less than ideally suited for at least some applications. For example, a hand held spectrometer apparatus may be less than ideally suited for at least some embedded applications. Also, the prior spectrometer methods and apparatus may be less than ideally integrated with a measurement environment.
In light of the above, an improved spectrometer and interpretation of spectral data that overcomes at least some of the above mentioned deficiencies of the prior spectrometers would be beneficial. Ideally, such a spectrometer would be compact, capable of being physically integrated with other consumer appliances or devices, sufficiently rugged and low in cost to be practical for end-user spectroscopic measurements of items, and convenient to use. Ideally, such a compact spectrometer would have sufficient sensitivity for the use of the spectrometer in specific applications. Further, it would be helpful to provide data comprising attributes of measured objects related to the spectral data of the objects to many people. It would also be useful to provide a compact spectrometer with decreased dependence on an internet connection at the time of measurement for the analysis of measurement data.